2nd gen. iPod skipping w/AIFF files?

cj3209cj3209
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
I have a 2nd gen. 20 gb iPod that skips with ONLY AIFF files. In fact on the first movement of Beethoven's First Symphony, it skips exactly at 2 min 20 seconds EVERY time. And then, it skips at 4 min 40 seconds EVERY time. In fact, with any other AIFF file it seems to skip every 2 minutes and 20 seconds! Very strange indeed. And this still happens after a fresh re-install of the iPod. I'm sending this unit in...



Does anyone else have this unusual problem?



Thanks.



Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    baumanbauman Posts: 1,248member
    Heh, that makes sense. AIFF files are bigger (much bigger) than mp3, and the iPod works by moving files from the HD to RAM to save battery life. By using AIFF, obviously only two minutes and twenty seconds can fit in RAM, so after that, it needs to retrieve more data. And I guess it makes sense that it wouldn't be able to reconstruct the stream seamlessly since when it's using mp3 files it's used to making those breaks in between tracks. Although it should have it's software written so that this isn't a problem.



    In short, everyone will have this problem, unless it's fixed in the 3G.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    "...In short, everyone will have this problem, unless it's fixed in the 3G..." [/B][/QUOTE]



    Ummm...doesn't this sound like a manufacturing DEFECT? It doesn't say in the iPod manuals that we shouldn't use AIFF files to play music. I'm going to have a problem if APPLE tells me not to use AIFF files.



    BTW, this doesn't occur with the 3rd Gen. iPods...



  • Reply 3 of 14
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cj3209

    "...In short, everyone will have this problem, unless it's fixed in the 3G..."



    Does ANYONE have a 2G iPod that can play AIFF files without skipping? I don't want to return my iPod to Apple only to have another refurb iPod come back with the same issue.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    cosmocosmo Posts: 662member
    first of all, i agree that apple should fix this problem, but i'm curious:



    why do u NEED to listen to the AIFF file on your iPod? the quality difference between an AIFF file and a high bit rate ACC or Mp3 file would be negligible. Especially if you are using the iPods ear buds. The smaller files would stop the skipping problem and make the ipod's battery last longer.



    I don't see why you can't keep the AIFF file for whatever you need it for (burning CDs, and other things that need keep high quality) and have an mp3/acc version on your ipod for more casual listening.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    I have a few AIFF files but I don't think they skip. I don't notice if they do.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    If the files are greater than 32 MB, then yes, it will probably skip as the iPod refills the buffer.
  • Reply 7 of 14
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    It's all about the file size not the file format. Any song that's bigger than the 32 MB buffer will need to be fetched from the disk while playing, no caching of other songs either, so it will skip between tracks too. The "fix" is to give iPods a bigger buffer.



    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61018
  • Reply 8 of 14
    cosmocosmo Posts: 662member
    That is why i suggested the use of ACC or mp3. Even at high bit rates they will be much smaller files than AIFF files.



    i didn't make this clear in my original post
  • Reply 9 of 14
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Long classical AIFFs don't skip on my first gen 5 gig iPod.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    It still shouldn't skip even when reading a large file into cache, unless you shake it at that point the read from cache to disc should be seamless. Plenty of CD players have skip protection that works as a CD is spinning.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Cosmo

    first of all, i agree that apple should fix this problem, but i'm curious:



    why do u NEED to listen to the AIFF file on your iPod? the quality difference between an AIFF file and a high bit rate ACC or Mp3 file would be negligible. Especially if you are using the iPods ear buds. The smaller files would stop the skipping problem and make the ipod's battery last longer.



    I don't see why you can't keep the AIFF file for whatever you need it for (burning CDs, and other things that need keep high quality) and have an mp3/acc version on your ipod for more casual listening.



    I used to be into Hi-Fi, a lot. I own a pair of Etymotic Er-4s and I can tell the difference between AIFF and MP3/ACC. There is NO REASON a 2G iPod cannot play AIFF files. I really hope Apple gives me back an iPod that can play AIFF files.



  • Reply 12 of 14
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    Well I just got back my 2g 20 GB iPod back from APPLE with a very lame letter stating that they basically didn't see anything wrong with the unit. They probably didn't even try testing with an AIFF file.



    This puppy's going on the 'bay. Anyone interested in a 2g 20 gb iPOD?
  • Reply 13 of 14
    marklmarkl Posts: 57member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cj3209

    Well I just got back my 2g 20 GB iPod back from APPLE with a very lame letter stating that they basically didn't see anything wrong with the unit. They probably didn't even try testing with an AIFF file.



    This puppy's going on the 'bay. Anyone interested in a 2g 20 gb iPOD?



    I get skipping on AIFFs on the 3G unit as well. This will be very embarrassing if it happens live.
  • Reply 14 of 14
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    You're a DJ?



    I might be interested cj.



    I don't get it though; my 1g works fine with lots of classical piano that is over 10 minutes without skipping, as AIFF. That was one of the first things I tested on the iPod and was very pleased with the results.
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